Detectives Eve and Duncan are tasked with finding a murderer, in a expansive natural park, a huge undertaking!
Hikers and campers are drawn to the beauty of the great outdoors, until someone is murdered! The characters are strong, relatable and offer mystery and intrigue, is this death a once off or is there more to uncover?
Eve and Duncan must stay out of harm’s way as they work to solve a crime. This story is well written and definitely holds your interest, I’ll be reading previous novels from this author!

Congratulations to the publisher, NetGalley and Lee Goldbergfor the opportunity to read and review this book!
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I love the Eve Ronin series, and this addition to the set did it justice. I’m glad there was more self reflection than usual in this one, and Duncan’s classic wit and presence was so great (as usual). I just can’t picture her with any other partner, and she truly needs him if she is gonna survive this world. The mystery was interesting, and the interactions with people and fellow law enforcement was interesting. If you wanna read a good mystery, with fantastic characters, and laugh, you need to grab a copy of Movieland! But, if you haven’t read Lost Hills yet… Please start at the beginning haha. You won’t regret it. This is one of my favorite series!!

Within the picturesque setting of Malibu Creek State Park, locals and tourists have the opportunity to enjoy nature not far from Los Angeles. When the brutal murder of a local woman takes place in the park, Detective Eve and her soon to retire partner Duncan must work with multiple agencies, local officials, and dedicated activists to piece together the individual responsible. Not only are Eve and Duncan working with and against those trying to help or hinder the case, there is also concerning evidence that this may not be an isolated incident. To add just a little extra drama, Eve has repeatedly been the target of threats and violence from fellow deputies, making it tricky for Eve to know who to trust during this tense investigation.

So once again I read a book in the middle of a series without reading the previous novels! In this case, there were character components I was missing, but it wasn’t a huge hinderance from enjoying the book! This fast paced, crime fiction detective book was very entertaining! At times, Eve’s actions were a little too impulse to be entirely believable, but it makes for a great book character! This entire series is available on Kindle Unlimited with audio companion, and I will definitely be reading the rest of the series!

Thank you to Netgalley, Thomas and Mercer, and the author for the opportunity to read and review this book!

Written in compelling detail and a real page-turner as always. I am an Eve Ronin fan for sure. I like that the details don't become too dark and maintain a storytelling quality that leaves me with a smile on my face.

Thanks to netgalley.com and Kensington Publishing for the advance ARC for my honest review.

Felt 'Movieland', is written like a one of those 1 hour TV drama shows based on a Police detective, it's entertaining well written, you have a likable duo in Eve and Duncan, it's humor filled, Eve makes me think of Stephanie Plum or Kate O’Hare, and a mash-up of the two.

Lee Goldberg writes a very good entertaining story, a great escape from the pressures of life, haven't read the first three in the series and once I have, definitely will edit this one at some point.

I received a free advance copy of Movieland through Net Galley. My thanks to Net Galley and tHe publisher .

Movieland of the title refers to an area of LA county that is comparatively rural and hosts a spacious, nearly wild state park that is one of the biggest in the US. It is home to beautiful vistas, hiking trails, campgrounds, coyotes, mountain lions, and in this novel a murderer. The novel opens with LA sheriff detectives Eve Ronin and “ Donuts” Duncan ( so called for his girth and love any sort of fast food) called to the scene of a shooting. One young woman is dead, another badly injured. Both were casualties of a shotgun. Investigation determines that the women were camping in the park, went for a night swim at the pond where they were targeted by person or persons unknown. It turns out that the injured woman was a famous, or notorious, news blogger and green activist with plenty of enemies. So there are may possible suspects for Eve and Duncan .
The book is peopled with a full panoply of California Wierd . Nude surfer dudes , wealthy property tycoons with gal pals , landscapes strewn with rusting movie prop buildings , fake Oriental temple-sushi places, Fire-scoured hills and multimillion dollar homes , teenagers driving Rolls and homeless food scavengers. Eve and partner must find the killer or killers in all of this.
Backstory is important to understanding the story. Eve Ronin is resented by her co - workers. They are mostly male and feel that she was promoted over her ability because she is a woman who got famous for decking a randy Hollywood tough- guy actor with one punch when he mouthed off to her. Even as her partner tells her to ease up, and stop trying to prove herself. Eve has few friends in the force., let alone a lover. She is a true Ronin, a knight with a cause -the author’s sly joke.
Humor is common in the book , coming in the repartee between Eve and Duncan as they investigate. Duncan has most of the good lines. After three books, I found Eve’s cactus like edginess a bit tiresome. But the crime solving part of the story is interesting and the quirkiness of the California never loses is ability to amaze.
Summing up: an OK entry into this series, comic/ serious and occasionally exciting , though the repetitive personal problem got tiresome., IMO. The formula still works but it is a formula.
Cautions: Some scene —of the -crime bloodshed, nothing else.

Eve Ronin is a Detective with the Los Angeles Sheriff Department (LASD). LASD is responsible for all non-LA City towns and property in LA County. It can be a little difficult sometimes to tell what is part of LA and LA County, but they work it out. Malibu Creek State Park (MCSP) used to be a movie set backdrop that was given to the County as a park. Though it has it's own Park Rangers, felonies and murders are investigated by the "Lost Hills" Station where Ronin works.

The station receives a call of a shooting, it involved two woman, one of whom is dead the other badly wounded. They were both shot with shotgun birdshot. Ronin and her partner Duncan (who is two weeks from retirement) are sent to find out what happened. While investigating this crime Ronin and Duncan find out that there have been multiple shotgun type shootings in the last two years, but no one else was killed, nor did anyone put the shooting together.

Ronin and Duncan suspect they have a serial shooter, but no one else wants to believe them because it would ruin the reputation of the park as one of the few tranquil public oasis in the metropolitan LA area. But while investigating the shooting of the woman, a councilman for one of the surrounding towns is killed and Ronin is also shot while riding her bike through the Park.

Now everyone in the area wants to know why these (now seven) shootings haven't been mentioned to the press. But with Ronin on the sidelines and Duncan ready to bail, who is going to follow-up the investigation?

Very tightly written with very little superfluous red herrings to keep you guessing along with the investigators.

This was a quick, fun and exciting read! Eve Ronin is such an intriguing character and the struggles she faces seem insurmountable. Yet she refuses to let them win. Which is saying something when your coworkers are actively trying to kill you. She embodies what a law enforcement officer should be and is determined to root out the bad apples. Movieland is a summation of what is happening in our country today and is representative of the personal sacrifices needed to get us back on track.

Thank you Joel Goldberg, Thomas & Mercer, and Netgalley for the opportunity to read an advance copy of Movieland!

As series fans will know, Eve Ronin has been through a lot. She has struggled to defend her position in the LASD. Her workload has been tough, which isn’t helped by her inability to occasionally leave work at the office. Movieland does work well as a stand-alone though. Goldberg gives us enough background to know where Eve stands and what led her there.

This time around, Eve and her partner, Duncan Pavone, are investigating the shooting of two campers, one of whom was killed. It turns out that this was just the latest shooting in a string of them, some of which were reported to the police and some of which the park rangers kept to themselves. When another person is killed the question becomes are all seemingly random shootings related? Are there copycats taking advantage of the situation?

Because there are so many incidents, we have multiple suspects and a variety of witnesses. Goldberg does a good job keeping all the strands clear even while Eve and Duncan are chasing a variety of leads. Duncan is closing in on retirement, but he feels responsible for this case and isn’t going to let the politicians keep the danger the sniper poses to the public under wraps.

Overall, this is a gripping, fast-paced novel. It has plenty of action, suspense and some violence. Eve ends up with several injuries – again. It’s a good summer read, maybe by the pool with a bowl of pretzels.

Movieland is the fourth book in the Eve Ronin series and still as fresh as the first one.

Malibu Creek State Park was the backdrop of many Hollywood movies for decades, and now is a favorite spot for hikers and campers. When a woman is shot dead and another injured, Homicide Detectives Eve Ronin and Duncan Pavone are assigned to the case. Duncan suspects this is the latest in a series of sniper attacks but authorities refuse to connect the cases, so they will have to go against not only the killer but the police force.

Although it could be read as a stand alone, I think it’s best read in order as Eve’s background plays a huge part in understanding some aspects of the story.

Eve is such a compelling character. Her doggedness in pursuing police corruption, despite her youth and the general resentment towards her inside the Department, makes it very easy to root for her. Also, she must be the unluckiest person in the world, so she has all my sympathies 😆.

I love how the character has evolved since the first book and how, even though still a bit impulsive, she’s learning to rein herself a little bit to make a better detective. This is in part thanks to her relationship with Pavone, who I like more and more with each new installment. The humor and banter between them and that way of protecting her without being overbearing or condescending with her are some of my favorite elements in the series.

The writing is great and it reads as a fast paced episode from a hit tv-show. The visual style, an intriguing plot and lots of action, make of Movieland a very quick read that will have you turning pages at a fast rate.

I was wondering what would happen with Eve once Duncan retired and she lost one of her few allies, but I guess we’ll have to wait for book 5 to find out.

Great police procedural with a fantastic lead that will keep you enthralled.

Thanks to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Movieland is another intriguing (and dare I say delightful?) addition to the Eve Ronin series. Lee Goldberg continues in his string of very readable hits, and Movieland doesn't disappoint.
Using California locales (with further explanation about the area and relating crime in the author's notes), Goldberg is an expert in making the crime, locale, and investigation vivid and entertaining.
Eve Ronin and her partner Duncan "Donuts" Pavone intersperse humor, determination and successful detective work as they investigate the odd case of breakroom theft and a "possible" serial killer in the Malibu Creek State Park area.
Eve continues to be the subject of harassment by some of her fellow officers. Luckily, there are those who have her back, Duncan at the top of the list. We root for the duo and hope Goldberg provides future opportunities for them to continue their work together.
Movieland is a definite purchase for any library with patrons who enjoy detective novels. Surely, this series is being considered for the screen. I look forward to the next installment.
Thanks to Thomas & Mercer and NetGalley for this ARC.

“Movieland,” is a fun, easy to read and totally enjoyable police procedural. However, what makes this stand out is two things:
1. how much I really loved the detectives in this story. I am going to go back and read the earlier books in this series. I want to spend more time with them
2. The smooth writing of Lee Goldberg. I forgot I was reading and just let this movie play out in my head

Malibu Creek State Park was used as the setting for many older movies and is now open to the public for hiking and camping. A reporter is badly injured and her girlfriend is murdered late at night as they emerged from the basin after skinny-dipping. The murder weapon was a shot gun, and detectives Eve and Duncan are called to investigate. Duncan sees a connection and possible cover-up between the murder and many similar shootings in the park, including some cold cases.

In addition to solving the crime, Eve has to deal with harassment at the station, and her partner is retiring in 2 weeks.

This book was fun, it was well written and it surprised me a few times. I totally wanted to know what happened, but I also wanted to enjoy the relationship (friendship) between the partners.

I want to thank the author #leeGoldber the publisher and #netgalley for the ARC which did not impact my review.

Love this series and was happy to find that the newest entry was as great as the last ones! Thank you for the ARC.

“Movieland,” by Lee Goldberg, centers around a murder at Malibu Creek State Park, an immense and gorgeously natural area. Once used as the setting for many older movies, it’s now open to the public for hiking, camping, and enjoyment. A reporter is badly injured and her girlfriend is murdered late at night as they emerged from the basin after skinny-dipping. The murder weapon was a shot gun, and partners Eve Ronin and Duncan Pavone are the investigating detectives. Duncan sees a connection and possible cover-up between the murder and many other shootings using a shotgun and involving property damage which took place in and around the park. Some of the damages were reported to the Sheriff’s Department, some are known only to the park service police, and many happened before Eve started as a detective. Ronin and Duncan set out to connect the dots in the shootings by opening up the investigation into the cold cases. Not only do they have to piece it all together, but Eve has had a target on her back with her peers since her first day in the department, and Duncan has only a short time before he retires. Plus, there is the little matter of actually staying alive long enough to find the shooter…

”Movieland” is an exciting, fabulously-written murder mystery, with many surprises along the way. The prose is a pleasure to read, intelligent, real, and interesting. I read it in one session because I couldn’t stop myself from turning pages to find what would happen next. I think the main characters in the book, Eve and Duncan, are a wonderfully-written mismatched pair, who play off of each other beautifully as yin and yang. I enjoy the writing of Lee Goldberg, and though the novel may have been based on a true story, it felt as though it was ripped right out of the headlines of any current newspaper. I hadn’t read the books that came before (this is Book Four of the Eve Ronin series), but it still reads as smoothly as a stand-alone work. Goldberg is a prolific author, and I’m quite excited to go back and not only read the novels which came before, but also any that follow.

I’d like to thank NetGalley, Lee Goldberg, and Thomas & Mercer for the ability to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

There are certain things an Angeleno just accepts as part of life. Insane amounts of traffic, clogging freeways and local access roads alike, for two-thirds of every day. Choppers flying overhead fast and low, at all hours. Perpetual threats of wildfires and earthquakes. The realization that no matter how much you might want to be one of those people who has “beach days”, the chances of such are slim. Some new political scandal, somewhere in the county. Rationalizing those late-night In-and-Out burgers by consuming mass quantities of kale and outrageously-priced juices. Avoiding most of Hollywood like the plague (despite some great theaters and restaurants), due to the overwhelming presence of mentally-unstable transients and gaping tourists (who can never understand why they aren’t running into “stars” at every corner). And—since the arrival of the coronavirus—a resurgence of the rampant crime (that had actually, finally, been on the downswing).

Why do we accept all of that? Because—dietary choices, aside—there’s not much we can do about most of it. We’ve all gotta live somewhere, and L.A. is where some ten million of us currently lay our heads each night.

Lee Goldberg is (or has been) one of those millions, because he writes about all of that, and more, in the latest entry in his series about Detective Eve Ronin, Movieland.
_______________

Eve occupies a not-entirely-enviable position in the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department… a young female (in a still-predominantly-male arena) detective, just 26 years old, who fast-tracked her way up to that rank and a position at the Lost Hills sheriff’s outpost through a combination of skill, guts, luck, and canny deal-making. (Saying that there are a lot of pissed-off male police—some, with legitimate beefs, but most, just jealous and misogynistic—would be soft-pedaling the situation; Eve is frequently harassed, and often threatened, by a number of those Very Angry Men.)

She lucked out, at least, by being paired with a great partner; Duncan (“Donuts”) Pavone is a genuinely-good guy… older, wiser, smart, realistic, and patient—the perfect foil for the impetuous Eve. [The fact that he is now, when Movieland starts, just two weeks out from his retirement, is something Eve prefers not to dwell on, because he is definitely her rock.]

When the duo get called to the scene of a tragic double-shooting in nearby Malibu Creek State Park, though, the normally-cool Duncan is the shaken one, because he has seen this same scenario—shotgun blasts, in and around the area—multiple times before… but in each prior instance, was persuaded by the powers-that-be to keep quiet, when his investigations hit brick walls.

This case promises to be a little different, though, because this time, one of the shots was fatal, with the other blast injuring the dead woman’s girlfriend… an outspoken nature blogger, with a long-standing and very vocal dislike of the L.A. police. (“The squeaky wheel”, and all that…)

Unsurprisingly—if you know anything about politics, anywhere—neither the sheriff’s department nor the park service want the public getting alarmed; the state park is massive, and a huge draw for locals, semi-locals, and tourists, alike (meaning, lots of money flowing in to area businesses and restaurants). And, in this case, Malibu Creek State Park literally is—or, used to be, anyway—“Movieland”, a huge area where scores of movies and TV shows were shot, in the past (making it, obviously, that much more of a destination location, now).

So, Eve and Duncan begrudgingly start working the case on the down-low, as much as possible… but the perpetrator(s?) have other ideas, and clearly want to be heard.

As Eve faces continuing hassles [originating in the earlier three books in the series, apparently] courtesy of some very angry sheriff’s department gang members—although truth be told, it seems there’s no shortage of people she’s managed to get on the bad side of, in her short policing career—the real question is, will one of them, or maybe even the crazy Malibu Park shooter, get to her, or to Duncan, first… or will our detective duo solve this pesky—and now, deadly—case, once and for all?
_____________

Movieland is the first Eve Ronin book I’ve read, so there was a little catching up to do, but Goldberg handles it all smoothly, giving enough backstory to clue the reader in, without going on about anything so long as to annoy already-existing fans. [And that’s definitely saying something, because when an author can’t do that well, it can be really off-putting.]

Eve is a very “L.A.” character, which, depending on how you feel about our megalopolis, can either be a plus or a negative. She’s the daughter of a now-elderly (but still-recognized) director and a somewhat-younger (but never-recognized) extra. They have issues. She’s grown a tough skin. Those exploits I touched on earlier—the ones that went down in the previous books—have garnered her enough notoriety to net herself a TV show deal, based on her life (which she’s not too keen on, but still accepted, because, money, duh).

Regardless, Eve comes across as a (mostly) believable young detective, whose past experiences enable her to understand a fair amount that her male counterparts—particularly the older ones—might not. She’s impetuous and eager enough to feel relatable, for her age, and the situations she finds herself in? Well, maybe you’d just have to spend some time in L.A. to get that they’re all actually pretty realistic.

Duncan is a boon to the series, as well—a great foil, and one of those guys you immediately trust and like. [In all my years in this city, I’ve only dealt with a handful of local cops… none of whom fit the negative stereotypes many people have, so trust me when I say, Duncan is the real deal, too.]

And of course, I’d be remiss if I didn’t talk about Goldberg’s handling of the true femme fatale in Movieland… L.A., itrself. No matter what area Goldberg is talking about (primarily, the far-western San Fernando Valley, here), he gives an excellent sense of place, and attitude, of the environments and the people who inhabit them, which lends the kind of verisimilitude you can only get from someone who knows a place well… warts and all.

Movieland is a fine read, on its own—a thriller that keeps you guessing, and which keeps you interested in (and titillated by) all of the many characters which pass through it. And, for anyone who has already been following Eve’s journey, it must be even that much better.
~GlamKitty

Movieland, by Lee Goldberg, is a well paced police suspense novel. It kept me hooked right up to the end! I love the main characters, Detectives Eve Ronin and Duncan Pavone. They work so well together and really care about the people that they serve.
Malibu Creek State Park has historically been the longstanding desert like location where several movies and TV shows were filmed. But now Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department homicide detectives, Eve Ronin and Duncan Pavone, have been called to investigate a recent shooting. Duncan suspects that there's a serial shooter out there because there have been several more shootings over the last year and a half. Unfortunately, the top brass isn't concerned and brush off any concerns.
Eve being Eve refuses to just give up. She's already unpopular with her coworkers so she has nothing to lose except possibly her life.

I have just discovered this author and I’m so happy that I took a chance on this story. It’s a ride that makes me want to read more and crave that rush of adrenaline!

Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department homicide detectives Eve Ronin and Duncan Pavone are assigned the case of a murdered woman on the Hollywood hills.
These two are just perfect as a team. They are so well drawn and complete each other in everything.

The suspenseful moments are perfectly planned, and the suspense is building up with each new chapter.

I loved how the author is mixing the investigation with some personal life snippets and that’s what I’m always looking forward in any story. It just makes the main characters much more reliable and realistic.
This is a must read story that I highly recommend!

🆓📖Very grateful to the publisher for my review copy

Two of my favorite homicide detectives are back with a captivating mystery! Detectives Eve Ronin and “retiring in two weeks” Duncan “Donuts” Pavone are assigned the case of a shooting in Malibu Creek State Park. A woman was killed by a shotgun blast of pellets while her partner was injured. They are both well-known activists and there may be those who aren’t sorry to see them dead. As Eve and Duncan investigate, he believes this may be a case of a serial shooter. Prior to Eve joining homicide, there were six shootings that caused mostly minor damage to property. Could this have been a warning to the activists that went too far? Eve is uncompromising in her efforts to find the truth as she deals with legal issues involving former officers and a law suit by the widow of one of the officers. Also, her parents are back and involved in a television show based on events from her prior cases. This author is a master at adding humor to a mystery, especially in the dialog between Eve and Duncan or Duncan and almost anyone (38 caliber vasectomy & green hospital jello – too funny). I received an advance review copy at no cost and without obligation for an honest review. (paytonpuppy)

*ARC provided by Netgalley for a honest review. Thankyou Thomas and Mercer.

Another great addition to the series, Movieland sees Eve and Duncan investigating a string of random shootings, the latest of which results in a homicide. Eve is still her abrasive self but is left playing peace keeper when Duncan is inspired to fight crime the Eve Ronin way - irritating everyone, refusing to stick the scripted lines and valuing the truth over looking good - albeit with less life threatening injuries. It was highly amusing to see Eve getting a taste of her own medicine.

The crime was interesting and the mystery had me on the edge of my seat. Like the last three books, this was a solid and complex case with twists and turns and varied motivations. I loved that Duncan was busy leading the way in this one and I was distraught at this being the last book he features in. <spoiler> I was glad to find that won't be the case! He'll return! </spoiler> As per usual though he was food obsessed, although I was giggling at the idea of him visiting Eve strictly for the hospital jello.

I loved Jen and Duncan ganging up on Eve and I adored that this book demonstrated that there are actually positive aspects to Jen and Eve's relationship - the first three books leaned pretty heavily into the actress mother who was busy chasing fame and fortune trope. Jen is awesome, she cracks me up with her advice for Eve.

Eve still has a crap relationship with the police force but I liked that she made more of an effort in this one to play nice with her fellow detectives. Even if she sucks at it. <spoiler> It was pretty funny her congratulating Biddle and Garvey and then turning around and solving the case, proving them wrong and making them look terrible. But I did feel sorry for them too - I mean ever since Eve appears they've been getting shown up - even when they're busy trying to do solid police work. On the other hand they're pricks. </spoiler> True to form, she see-sawed between political savvy and total ignorance. Although she does better when running interference for Duncan - I would've liked to see more of that present in her own negotiations. But it was interesting to see her limitations and justifications.

Overall an enjoyable read, another solid addition to the series and unfortunately one more long wait for the next book. 4 stars.

Thank you to the author, Thomas & Mercer and NetGalley, for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This is the fourth book in a series, and the first one I've read by this author. Although there are a lot of references throughout to previous events, which are presumably covered in the first three books of the series, this reads well as a stand-alone. As a police procedural/crime thriller, it rings true to life than many others - it goes into the casual sexism inherent in police work, and also uncovers some of the truly horrifying gang-related mess that slumbers in police departments around the US (as we are learning through press coverage, this is much more prevalent than we would like to think). The pace is fast and the atmosphere is tense; the crimes seem unconnected and the politics around the investigation sadly dominate - also true to life. I liked the dynamics between the heroine and her partner, who is on the cusp of retirement, and the unusual back story with her family. There were some rough edges, but I definitely want to read the first three and anything more the author produces.